08 Jul Fresh Berry Tart

Yes, you may have noticed that I’m a little obsessed with berry desserts lately. (Like this one & this one.) I can’t help it! I’m a slave to ripe, juicy berries.

In my defense, I’ve wanted to attempt a tart for some time now. A fresh fruit tart of any kind. It just so happens that berries are in season and make BEAUTIFUL tarts. It had to be.

Tired of berries? Don’t fret, you can top this baby with any kind of fruit you please. The heart of the recipe lies in the crust and the vanilla pastry cream. And oh my goodness, it’s oh so good.

I must admit, I was scared to attempt the crust because of my recent pastry disaster. I’m happy to say that the dough was a huge success! The crust is sweet, cookie-like and SUPER easy to make.

I did however have one little blooper. Before you bake the tart, make sure you have either baking beans or dried legumes of some sort. I made the mistake of assuming that I had dried peas in the pantry and when I didn’t I attempted to improvise with sugar. #Fail

My second-effort crust still didn’t turn out perfectly from an aesthetic standpoint, but it tasted great. Not bad for my first try!

The pastry cream is to die for, and only reinforced my love for all things pudding/custard/cream. If you can get your hands on some vanilla beans they would be a great addition, but honestly it’s perfect just the way it is. PERFECTION, I tell you.

Hope everybody had a great Fourth of July! Updates from my weekend to come!

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, cream and vanilla. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix on low for a few moments to combine.

Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture, mix on low 1 minute to combine, then increase speed to medium. Continue mixing until the mixture resembles coarse sand, about 3 minutes.

Add the egg mixture and mix until the dough just comes together, about 1 minute.

Turn the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours.

Once chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator.

Unwrap and roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a 13-inch round. (Tip: I do this on a sheet of wax paper so I can move the dough back to the refrigerator easily.)

If dough has become too soft, refrigerate for another 10-15 minutes on a cookie sheet.

Transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan. Mold the dough to the sides of the tart pan and use a knife to remove the excess off the top.

Set on a large plate and freeze for 30 minutes.

While the dough is chilling, adjust an oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 375° F. Set the dough-lined tart pan on a baking sheet, line with foil, covering the edges, and fill with pie weights.

Bake the shell for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking time.

Remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil and weights. Continue to bake until deep golden brown, 5-8 minutes longer.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For the pastry cream:

In a medium sauce pan, heat the half-and-half, 6 tbsp of sugar, and the salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.

While the half-and-half mixture is heating, combine the egg yolks and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture is creamy.

Whisk in the cornstarch until combined and the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.

When the half-and-half mixture has reached a simmer, slowly add it to the egg yolk mixture with the mixer on low.

Return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Bring back to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and glossy.

Remove from the heat, and whisk in the butter and vanilla.

Strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve set over a medium bowl.

Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

Assembly:

Use a spatula to spread the cold pastry cream evenly throughout the tart shell.

Top with berries or the fruit of your choice.

Microwave apple jelly for 30 seconds to melt. Using a pastry or paint brush, paint a layer of jelly on top of the fruit. (optional)